Columbus investment firm Heartland Growth Partners acquires ADF Engineering

Heartland Growth Partners, a Columbus-based investment firm backed by an extensive network of industrial owner-operators, has acquired Miamisburg-based ADF Engineering. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the transaction, which closed earlier this month, represents a major new investment in one of the region’s leading industrial engineering platforms.

Founded in 2003, ADF Engineering has spent more than 20 years serving as a multidisciplinary partner to manufacturing companies across North America. The firm manages complex facility and process engineering across 35 states for Fortune 100 manufacturers, including Cargill, ADM, and Nestlé.

Under the terms of the agreement, ADF will maintain its existing brand, its Miamisburg headquarters, and its current executive leadership team, led by President Alex Fishman and Vice President of Operations Rakesh Patel.

Why it matters

Modern industrial manufacturing is racing to integrate digital tech with heavy operations. By pairing ADF’s heavy-industry engineering footprint with Heartland’s capital and technical network, the deal aims to accelerate the deployment of AI, advanced automation, industrial software, and data-enabled tools in active manufacturing environments.

The big picture

The transaction reflects an investment thesis gaining traction across the Midwest: using deep, operator-led networks to scale legacy service providers, rather than focusing primarily on traditional cost-cutting playbooks.

The operator network

Heartland Growth Partners was formed out of Heartland Ventures, a $100 million venture capital firm. The firm leverages a built-in regional network of industrial business owners to provide its portfolio companies with immediate commercial access and practical market guidance.

• The growth playbook: Heartland’s investment is backing management's roadmap to scale the ADF platform through regional hiring and targeted M&A, with an emphasis on growth investments rather than cost reductions.
• Behind the deal:
  • For Heartland: Legal counsel was provided by Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP; financial advisory was led by Plante & Moran, PLLC.
  • For ADF: Financial advisory was handled by Baird’s Business Owner Solutions team.

What they're saying

"This partnership directly reflects what our clients have been asking for: greater capacity, broader support, and a firm positioned to grow alongside their operations," Fishman said in a statement. Max Brickman, Founding Partner of Heartland, noted that the firm plans to deploy its resources and technology insights to expand ADF's capabilities "while preserving the client-first culture that has made the business successful."